Kevin's Corner 01-31-10
THE WORST WEEK IS OVER: The debacle in New Orleans last Sunday night (sorry, Saints fans) could not have happened at a worse time for Minnesotans. It turns out that the Vikings epic loss came at the beginning of what more than a few people call the worst week of the year. Why the worst week? These last days of January include a double whammy. On average, the coldest day of the year happens during these days. Although there has been a little more light every day since Christmas, the northern hemisphere continued to cool off for another month thereafter – just as late July is hotter than June even though each day’s sunlight is already diminishing. And the other shoe that drops during these last days of January is the need to pay Christmas bills. But now – here is the positive. The Worst Week is over! With a few exceptions, we will have more sunlight, more warmth, and fewer bills to pay for a long time to come. Life is looking up. The Vikings lost; long live the Twins!
CARNIVAL ROYALTY: ARTHUR BLAKEY SR.: For more than a century, the response of Saint Paul community leaders to the worst week has been typically defiant – we throw a party. That party, called the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, is a challenge to the cold: ice-fishing tournaments and outdoor treasure hunts and parades through the winter evenings. The Carnival has a serious purpose – to help neighbors encourage one another through mid-winter – but it is all wrapped up in self-deprecating good humor. For example, a Royal Court representing winter’s cold “rules over” the Carnival. And we take particular pride in this year’s royalty. For the first time since the Winter Carnival began in the late 1800’s, there is an African-American King Boreas, the Ruler of the North and paramount figure of the Carnival. The 2010 King Boreas is a member of our parish: Art Blakey Sr. Four generations of Art’s family have been Clavers, including a handful of the youngest generation who are currently enrolled at and thriving in Saint Peter Claver School. Grandpa Art stopped by with his Royal Court last Thursday and knighted several of our young people in an affectionate celebration. Congratulations, King Boreas Arthur Blakey Sr. Long live King Boreas!
ANOTHER CLAVER IN THE NEWS: KENDRA LEWIS: President Obama’s State of the Union address (at which Dr. Josie Johnson was present – see below) emphasized the need to stimulate job growth by favoring small businesses. That looks like the sort of commitment around which Republicans and Democrats alike will be able to rally. One of our parish members was featured this week in an article about small business. Kendra Lewis left a corporate position with Target to open a children’s clothing store in Southwest Minneapolis. She must have gone through enormous challenges through the Great Recession of 2009, but she is still standing. I have posted the article about Kendra’s store, “bebe babble”, on one of our bulletin boards. You can also learn more by checking her website: www.bebebabble.com. Hers is now an entirely on-line business: may God bless your enterprise.
AND YET ANOTHER NEWSMAKER: DR. TROY VINCENT: The University of Saint Thomas hosted a forum with the leaders of various excellent elementary schools last Tuesday. Among the panelists was our own Dr. Troy Vincent, principal of Farnsworth Aeronautics Magnet School, a two-site, K-8 school on Saint Paul’s East Side. I have told you about Dr. Vincent’s work before, but I want to repeat how proud I am to see his excellent work in inspiring young people to learn the skills that will open doors for them in scientific and engineering careers. Troy spoke with intensity and passion about the daily challenge of keeping children as the main focus of educational work.
AND A CLAVER ADVENTURER: KRISTY SETNES: If you attend the 10:00 Mass you would recognize Kristy, a petite woman seated in the back half of church with her two Nordic-handsome older sons and her gorgeous Ethiopian toddler daughter, Sara Selam. Kristy and her husband adopted Sara last year, and the experience has been so positive for all concerned that they will be expanding the family by four more members. Kristy and Charles left for Addis Ababa last Wednesday, accompanied by Sara Selam, and will return soon with 3-year-old daughter Melkamie and her brothers Degnet, who is 2, and Derebe and Tesfamlak, 6-month-old twins. Wow! Accompany them, please, with prayer!
HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION: We are still in the process of thanking people who made generous end-of-the-year gifts. Here are a few more who are cause for great gratitude. Through a new Major Gifts Committee supporting our school, Bob Link has become a friend of Claver. He sent us a gift for $10,000. Dr. Paul Steingraeber, whose son and daughter-in-law were married here several years ago, sent his annual gift of $1000 of stock. Several families sent gifts specifically aimed at special needs in the parish: thank you, Stan and Louverne, Hazel and family, and several others. We received other substantial gifts from distant friends of the parish who always help us out at the holidays: Mike Traeger, Mike and Amy Hooley, Ann and Litton Field, Mike and Connie Adams.
Claver School students paid extra attention to the State of the Union address this past Wednesday evening, knowing that their principal was in attendance. Dr. Josie Johnson went to Washington as a guest of Representative Keith Ellison. She reports that it was an awesome experience to be in the U.S. Capitol, seated near the First Lady and above the presidential dais, to observe this discharge of one of the constitutional obligations of our national government. She also managed to get some family time: she stayed with granddaughter Lauren, a first year law student at Howard University.